A detailed kinetic investigation in two areas of biochemistry is being carried out. These are: the kinetic role of metal ions in enzymatic systems and the dynamics of the helix-coil transition in polypeptides. The specific research to be accomplished involves the thermodynamics and kinetics of divalent metal ion interactions with nucleotide, dinucleotide, and flavin coenzymes; the kinetics of metal ion associations with enzymes and enzyme-coenzyme systems; and kinetic studies of the helix-to-coil transition in homo- and co-polymeric polyamino acids. A wide variety of rapid kinetic instrumentation are being brought to bear upon these problems. Methods to be used include rapid stopped flow as well as relaxation spectroscopy (especially T-jump and ultrasonics).